Notice2021-19702
Distribution of Satellite Royalty Funds
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 13, 2021
Issuing agencies
Library of CongressCopyright Royalty Board
Abstract
The Copyright Royalty Judges solicit comments on a motion of Multigroup Claimants for partial distribution of 2015-2017 satellite royalty funds.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 174 (Monday, September 13, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 174 (Monday, September 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50910-50911]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19702]
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Copyright Royalty Board
[Docket No. CONSOLIDATED 16-CRB-0010-SD (2014-17)]
Distribution of Satellite Royalty Funds
AGENCY: Copyright Royalty Board, Library of Congress.
ACTION: Notice requesting comments.
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SUMMARY: The Copyright Royalty Judges solicit comments on a motion of
Multigroup Claimants for partial distribution of 2015-2017 satellite
royalty funds.
DATES: Comments are due on or before October 13, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Interested claimants must submit timely comments using eCRB,
the Copyright Royalty Board's online electronic filing application, at
<a href="https://app.crb.gov/">https://app.crb.gov/</a>.
Instructions: All submissions must include a reference to the CRB
and docket number CONSOLIDATED 16-CRB-0010-SD (2014-17). All
submissions will be posted without change to eCRB at <a href="https://app.crb.gov/">https://app.crb.gov/</a> including any personal information provided.
Docket: For access to the docket to read submitted documents, go to
eCRB, the Copyright Royalty Board's electronic filing and case
management system, at <a href="https://app.crb.gov/">https://app.crb.gov/</a> and search for docket number
CONSOLIDATED 16-CRB-0010-SD (2014-17).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anita Blaine, Program Specialist, 202-
707-7658, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#62011000220e0d014c050d14"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5e3d2c3c1e32313d70393128">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each year satellite systems must submit
royalty payments to the Register of Copyrights as required by the
statutory license set forth in section 119 of the Copyright Act for the
retransmission to satellite subscribers of over-the-air television
broadcast signals. See 17 U.S.C. 119(b). The Copyright Royalty Judges
(Judges) oversee distribution of royalties to copyright owners whose
works were included in a qualifying transmission and who timely filed a
claim for royalties.
Allocation of the royalties collected occurs in one of two ways. In
the first instance, the Judges may authorize distribution in accordance
with a negotiated settlement among all claiming parties. 17 U.S.C.
119(b)(5)(A), 801(b)(3)(A). If all claimants do not reach an agreement
with respect to the royalties, the Judges must conduct a proceeding to
determine the distribution of any royalties that remain in controversy.
17 U.S.C. 119(b)(5)(B), 801(b)(3)(B). Alternatively, the Judges may, on
motion of claimants and on notice to all interested parties, authorize
a partial distribution of royalties, reserving on deposit sufficient
funds to resolve identified disputes. 17 U.S.C. 119(b)(5)(C),
801(b)(3)(C).
On July 23, 2021, Worldwide Subsidy Group LLC dba Multigroup
Claimants (MGC) filed with the Judges a motion
[[Page 50911]]
requesting partial distributions of an amount confidentially calculated
by the Licensing Division that equals 50% of the average satellite
royalty awarded to MGC for 2010-2013, as applied against the 2015-2017
satellite royalties collected. Motion at 4.\1\
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\1\ The Motion can be found at <a href="https://app.crb.gov/document/download/25503">https://app.crb.gov/document/download/25503</a>.
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The Settling Devotional Claimants (SDC) opposed the Motion as well
as a separate motion that MGC filed in the companion cable docket. See
Settling Devotional Claimants' Opposition to Multigroup Claimants'
Motion for Partial Distribution of 2015-2017 Cable and Satellite
Royalty Funds (Opposition).\2\ MGC filed a Reply in support of its
Motion. See Multigroup Claimants' Reply in Support of Motion for
Partial Distribution of 2015-2017 Satellite Royalties (Aug. 13,
2021).\3\
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\2\ The Opposition can be found at <a href="https://app.crb.gov/document/download/25572">https://app.crb.gov/document/download/25572</a>.
\3\ The Reply can be found at <a href="https://app.crb.gov/document/download/25603">https://app.crb.gov/document/download/25603</a>.
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Prior to ruling on a motion for partial distribution filed under
Sec. 801(b)(3)(C) of the Copyright Act, the Judges must publish a
notice in the Federal Register to determine whether any interested
claimant entitled to receive such royalty fees has a reasonable
objection to the partial distribution. Accordingly, this Notice seeks
comments from interested claimants on whether any reasonable objection
exists that would preclude the distribution to MGC of the requested
amounts from the 2015-2017 satellite royalty funds. As the Judges have
commenced a distribution proceeding concerning 2014-2017 satellite
royalties, only claimants that have filed petitions to participate in
the proceeding (or are included in a petition to participate filed on
their behalf) are ``interested claimants'' for purposes of this Notice.
Interested claimants objecting to the partial distribution must advise
the Judges of the existence and extent of all objections by the end of
the comment period. The Judges will not consider any objections with
respect to the partial distribution motion that come to their attention
after the close of the comment period.\4\
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\4\ The Judges deem the SDC's Opposition and MGC's Reply to
constitute timely comments and will consider them, together with any
other comments they receive during the comment period, in
determining whether any reasonable objection exists that would
preclude the requested distribution to MGC.
Dated: September 8, 2021.
Jesse M. Feder,
Chief Copyright Royalty Judge.
[FR Doc. 2021-19702 Filed 9-10-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1410-72-P
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